Introducing book 1 in the new Checkmate Duet Series from a secret duo of bestselling authors! This friends to lovers romance will have you swooning and laughing from the first to the last page! Are you ready to play the game?

Drew Fisher is the type of guy every girl wants.

Noble police officer by day, charming prince by night.

He has no idea the effect he has on women, especially me—his little sister’s best friend.

I’m the blonde Southern belle who lives up to the cliché, except I have my own quirks. I’m smart as a whip, can change my own oil, and recite The Pledge of Allegiance backward, but he doesn’t see that girl.

It’d be easier to forget him if he wasn’t my roommate and if the first thing I saw in the morning wasn’t his shirtless body covered in tattoos. I’ve crushed on him since the day we met, but he’s made it perfectly clear where we stand. Just friends.

I know I need to move on and accept that his feelings will never be mutual, but every day he smiles at me, I’m left dreaming of what if.

He has girl issues, and I’ve got a crush I can’t deny.

We’re friends, but I want more.

One drunken hookup leaves us with much more than a platonic friendship. Pretending it never happened proves to be more difficult than anticipated.

A crazy ex-girlfriend, a dangerous war of stolen glances, and passionate kisses leads to the most reckless battle yet. I won’t be a pawn in his game, but I’ll play by his rules if it will show him I’m the one worth breaking them for.

Checkmate, Prince Charming.

*Recommend for ages 18+ due to sexual content and adult language.*

**This is book 1 of 2 in the Checkmate Duet Series–a friends to lovers romance. Highly recommended to read the Checkmate Duet, This is War and This is Love first, but not necessary. This can read as a standalone duet.**

PROLOGUE

COURTNEY

One day after the wedding…

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, lived a queen who ruled her own kingdom. She didn’t need a king beside her because she was confident, strong, and smart without one. She knew men only brought heartache and there was no time for that, but if there ever was a man who could stand beside her, he’d be the strongest, smartest, most protective guy she could ever ask for. He’d be her best friend and The One.

…Excuse me while I drown in my own tears.

There is absolutely, positively no way a guy and a girl who live together as roommates could ever become anything more. I hoped it would, but after several clear-as-day hints, I’ve come to terms that just friends is all we’ll ever be. He doesn’t see me the way I see him.

And he was Drew Fisher. My best friend’s older brother. Cliche, I know.

I remembered the day I first met him. I’d nearly broke my face when I walked into a beam and his cop uniform had been stripped off in my mind. He’s built like a rock, his chest and back are covered in ink, and his long strands of dark hair are just asking to be pulled. You can see his chiseled jaw under his five o’clock shadow, which gives my girl parts all kinds of weird tingly feelings and don’t even get me started on the handcuffs in his duty belt. Every time I see them, I want to handcuff myself to him.

Okay, that might sound a bit over the top and maybe even obsessive, but I swear I’m not. Drew’s been my roommate for over a year, his sister, Viola, is my best friend, and just married his best friend, Travis. Not to mention, Travis is also my boss at King Marketing, where Drew stops by to bring me lunch on a weekly basis. So we’re linked together in more ways than one and it’d be way too complicated anyway. I know this. I’ve reminded myself of this several dozen times.

But that doesn’t mean my heart has accepted the memo. I can’t help the way I feel for him and I’ve tried dating other guys to get over the pathetic crush I have, but so far it hasn’t worked. Nothing has, actually, so I just suffer in silence as I watch him give his heart to a girl who absolutely, positively does not deserve him in any way.

Mia Fucking Montgomery.

She’s the classic tall, skinny, dark-haired goddess who thinks she rules the world and everyone in it. I don’t get what Drew sees in her—okay, maybe I can—but too bad her attitude is as ugly as her botched boob job. He doesn’t see her for who she really is—conniving, manipulating, cheating, lying whore. I don’t typically shame other women for being outspoken and confident, but Mia is the exception, and I don’t even feel bad for hating her skanky guts.

All right, that might sound like jealousy and all considering I just admitted to having the biggest crush on one of my best friends, but those aren’t feelings of jealousy. Those are feelings of disdain. Take one look at Mia Montgomery and you’d feel the exact same way.

Too bad Drew Fisher is blind as a fucking bat.

All feelings aside, I hate that she’s hurt him more times than I can count and that he’s taken her back every single time. He’s the sweetest guy I’ve ever met and gives more second-chances than she deserves.

I can’t help but feeling like maybe, just maybe one day he’ll open his eyes and see what’s been in front of him the entire time. I hate that he sees me as his sister’s best friend or the southern redneck girl who prefers cowgirl boots over high heels or the loud-mouthed one who yells at the TV during football season. I’m just one of the guys to him and even though I’d rather be his friend than nothing at all, I can’t help that feeling of what if.

Coming to terms with the way things are between us comes to a complete halt the moment I wake up Sunday morning. Blurred flashbacks of the night before surface and I can’t tell if they were all a dream or if…

I peel my eyes open and see the sun glaring through the window. I hate that damn sun. And fuck that window, too. Jesus, I feel like I’ve run a 10k marathon last night. My feet are more than likely swollen from wearing those damn shoes Viola made the bridesmaids wear and I can feel the pins jabbing into my skull from having my hair done. Being Viola’s maid of honor was a blast, but between the over-drinking and the too-tight shoes, I’ll be paying for it for at least a week.

It takes me a minute to clear my eyes and realize I’m not even in my own room. I’m in Drew’s room, which could only mean one thing.

Last night wasn’t a dream.

My body stiffens because I’m too nervous to look and see if Drew is lying next to me. My heart is pounding and my head is aching from the excessive alcohol I drank last night. I don’t normally binge drink like that, but it was my best friend’s wedding reception with an open bar, so it’s not really my fault.

Okay, yes it is.

I shuffle around as quietly as possible, gripping the sheet in my fist as I turn slightly to check if I’m alone or not. Before I can look, I feel the cool fabric rub against my bare nipple. Glancing down, I see I’m completely naked and groan inwardly to myself. Searching the floor, I don’t see any of my own clothing. Fuck me.

My heart is racing so hard, I’m sure if Drew is next to me, he can feel the vibrations against the bed. If last night wasn’t a dream, and I’m naked in his bed and he’s next to me…stop panicking, I tell myself. Maybe it’s not even Drew. Maybe I brought another guy home, and I was too drunk to realize we went into the wrong room. That has to be it. Drew’s probably asleep on the couch right now waiting to curse me out for all the damage I’ve done.

Feeling a bit calmer, I decide it’s now or never. I need to take a good look at the strange guy next to me and kick him out before he thinks we’re a couple now or something. I don’t typically do one-night stands, hell I’ve barely done relationships since my ex-boyfriend, Toby, broke up with me over two years ago. The last thing I’m looking for is someone to have casual sex with, well unless…

No. I can’t go there.

Pulling the sheet up over my chest, I turn over as slowly as possible to avoid any movement on the bed, and prepare for what I’m about to see.

Or rather, who I’m about to see.

Blinking, needing to clear my vision once again just to make sure I’m seeing him correctly, I nearly gasp aloud. There’s no fucking way. This has to be one of those dreams within a dream type things because holy fuck.

★★★

Kennedy Fox is a duo of bestselling authors who share a love of You’ve Got Mail and The Holiday. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate together under a pseudonym and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make your lady bits tingle and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you!